Subaqueous gold-saving apparatus.



I Patented June 19, 1917.

S. CALDWELL.

SUBAQUEOUS GOLD SAVING APPARATUS.

WITNESS s. CALDWELL.

SUBAQUEOUS GOLD SAVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JU'NE I0, 1916.

1 ,230,274:. Patented June 19, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN TOR.

amt/E WITNESS Y /a-%L A TTORNEYS.

m: nnums Faun: m. Innru-urna, WASNINOWIL a 0' SAMUEL CALDWELL, OFOAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SUBAQUEOUS GOLD-SAVING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed June 10, 1916. Serial No. 102,895.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL CALDWELL, acitizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county ofAlameda and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Subaqueous Gold- Saving Apparatus, of which thefollowing .is a specification. 1

The present invention relates to an improved subaqueous gold savingapparatus adapted for permanent positioning on the beds of rivers orstreams, the sediment in which contains free gold or other preciousmetals, and it has for its principal objects to provide a structure overwhich the sediment passes due to the stream flow and which will trap orretain to its capacity the smaller particles thereof of the greaterspecific gravity, the larger and lighter particles being carriedthereover by thestream flow; one wherein the material trapped orretained by the apparatus is capable of being removed therefrom and fromthe stream, and one provided with means for controlling the withdrawal.of the trapped .orretained material fromthe apparatus.

The invention consists broadly in a chamber provided with a grizzly topand for permanent positioning in the stream bed, there being provided atone end of the chamber an apron for directing the sediment carried bythe stream flow onto the grizzly, and at a point communicating withthechamber a means for removing the sediment from within the chamber toa point above the level of the surface of the stream.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out inthe claim hereto appended; it being understood that variouschanges inthe form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within thescope of the claim may be resorted to without departing from the spiritor sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention reference is directed to theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a view in plan of thepreferred embodiment of my improved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the injector casing taken online 33 of Fig. 5.

Fig. tie a longitudinal sectional view of the injector casingillustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a View in elevation of the injectorcasing partly broken away,illustrating more particularly the cut-01f slide and the guide therefor.I

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a stream or river with my invention inposition on the bed thereof.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, wherein like characters ofreference designate corresponding parts-1 indicates the bottom, 2 theopposite side and 3 one end walls which together form a suitable opentopped receptacle, trap or chamber 4: for pcsitioning on the river orstream bottom or bed. The side walls are recessed or cut as at 5approximately midway of their length and beyond said out portions areinclined orsloped downwardly toward the end of the bottom wall at theforward or receiving end of the receptacle. A fan shaped or flaringmetallic or other suitable apron 6 is positioned at the forward orreceiving end of the receptacle, and the same is provided with anelongated recess, the side walls 7 of which rest on and are secured tosuitable angle irons 8 carried by the opposite sides of the inclined orsloped portions of the receptacle side walls 2. The converging edges ofthe apron which connect through the plates 8 with the side walls 2 at apoint adjacent the cuts 5 therein are curved or bent upwardly as at 9fortheir full length to provide a guide for directing the sedimentreceived on the apron toward the open top of the re ceptacle. A suitablesealing or contour strip 10, preferably of flexible material extendslongitudinally of the forward edge of the apron and overhangs the same,it being secured at one edge to the apron in any suitable manner as bythe bolts 11. The overhanging edge of the strip 10 lies directly on theriver or stream bed and conforms to the contour thereof, thus preventingthe passing of material beneath the apron and directing the same ontothe upper surface thereof. Suitable converging guides 10 are carried onthe upper surface of the apron 6 in spaced relation to the upturnededges 9 thereof, and said guides direct the material into the opentopped receptacle in advance of the edges 9 and also serve to protectthe edges from large boulders which may pass upon the apron.

A suitable grizzly A formed of'the parallel spaced bars 12 which rest onthe transversely extending brace or supporting rods 13 connecting theside walls 2 adjacent their upper edges is positioned over the open topof the receptacle trap or chamber; 41, and is adapted to control thepassage of the material into the chamber. The material carried by thestream flow and received on the apron is directed onto the grizzly, andin its movement longitudinally of the same is sepa ated, the largerparticles being carried'by the stream flow over the unobstructeddischarge end thereof and the smaller particles passing through the sameand into the chamber 4.

A suitable casing 141 communicates at one side with the interior of thechamber through an opening 15 in the end wall 3 thereof, the casingproviding on its interior a discharge chamber 16 which communicates atone end through a discharge pipe 17 with a suction device 18 which is.located above the stream level and preferably on the bank or edgethereof, as in Fig. 6. Communicating with the opposite end of thechamber 16 is a concentrically disposed fluid injector nozzle 17., thedischarge end of which terminates at a point adjacent the gate whenoperated to and from the wall of the casingto prevent material fromclogging in rear thereof. The gate is operated by a suitable rod 19extending longitudinally of the pipe 17 to a point preferably inproximity to the suction device 18 and Where it connects with a handle21. A transversely extending baffle 21 is positioned in the chamberimmediately above the opening 15 therein and prevents the overflowing ofthe material trapped therein on the opening of the slide gate.

I have provided an apparatus for permanent positioning in the bed ofstreams which will collect and retain the metal bearing sands ormaterial and which admits of the passing thereover of the largeparticles, such as stones and boulders, and one provided with means forremoving the trapped material to a point above the level of the stream.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect byLetters Patent is:-

A subaqueous gold saving apparatus for permanently positioning in thebody of a stream, comprising an open-topped chamber, a grizzly over theopentop thereof, and unobstructed at its opposite ends to permit of thefree flow of material thereover, a portion of said grizzly beinginclined upwardly from one end of. said chamber, an apron extendinglaterally from the opposite sides of the inclined portion of saidgrizzly and provided with converging walls for directing material.

carried by the stream flow and received on said apron on to saidgrizzly, a flexible sealing strip secured at one end to said apron andcontacting at its free edge Wltll the stream bed, asuction pipecommunicating with the rear of said chamber and through.

which the material trapped in said chamber is removed and conveyed to apoint distant fromthe stream, means for creating a suction in said pipe,fluid injector connecting with the interior of said pipe adjacent itsconnection with said chamber and directed toward said suction means, anda gate valve for controlling the passage of material from said chamberinto said suction pipe;

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL CALDWELL.

lVitnesses HARRY A. To'r'rEN, D. B. RICHARDS.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained f0r five. cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,-.D. G.

